So at the end of January 2008, I spent a severe amount of money on a 2nd gen Playstation 3 console. it set me back almost a grand. on the weekend, after just a smidge over 2yrs of owning it, it died.

Yep. Died. I put a disc in, loaded it up, and it died. it died, and will never be resurrected. Google gave me many hints to attempt to save it, but alas, it was unsuccessful.

And of course, this happened four days before the release of Final Fantasy XIII, a game I have been waiting the better part of FOUR FUCKING YEARS to come out.

So here’s my beef. I spent close to a grand on a piece of equipment that dies a bee’s dick outside of my warranty. I don’t have this kind of money just lying around, and when I pay that kind of cash for something I want it to LAST. Further to this, the thieving bastards at Sony want to CHARGE me $250 just to fix it. This piece of shit console has a trade-in value of a hundred bucks, and Sony wants to charge me more than its worth to fix it? Fuck you people.

Why is it that technology is never built to last anymore? Its a rhetorical question of course, because its all about consumerism and things are only built to last until the next generation model of whatever comes out and blah blah blah blah blah blah blah fucking blah. but seriously. When I was in school I had one of those old Nokia 8210 phones, that fell out of my bag, down three stories onto concrete, and it still worked. all I needed was a new case. A Sony Ericsson phone I bought about 3yrs ago lasted 12mths before it fell out of my pocket onto vinyl floors and died. what the fuck? I also own a Playstation2, which I have had for 8yrs now with no problems, no errors, just machine behaving game playing. and yet its descendant is a weak motherfucker who couldn’t even last the distance.

And the arrogance of Sony, which is somewhat unsurprising, that they build an inferior product, and I am the one who wore the cost in the first place (FUCK RETAIL SALES IN AUSTRALIA MARKING UP EVERYTHING TO THE POINT OF RIDICULOUSNESS). And when they mentioned it’d be $50 on top of the $250 for shipping, I told them to get fucked, because for a hundred bucks more I can get a brand new console that is ten times better than the current oversized paperweight i currently own.

But then again, that’s your plan all along isn’t it Sony?

Belligerent pack of pricks with a piece of shit product that I shelled out more money than I should have in the first place, and then force my hand to purchase a new model that will likely do the same thing in 2yrs time. So now I have to go to a local store that’s thankfully doing me a good deal because they think I’ve been rather ripped off, and am picking up a new system for a third of the cost of what I initially paid for. Which, because its still a fair hike of cash to fork out, I’m going to have to pay off before I can pick it up over the next few months.

So thanks Sony, for giving me a game release I’ve been anticipating for years now, that will serve a good purpose as a fucking coaster.

I haven’t forgotten you, my steambubbly readers. Just been a little cash strapped which has halted the acquisition of the parts I require.

Coming shortly, photos from an acoustic guitar mod i’m working on.

Honestly, I had seen this coming, and had been waiting for when the feddies would attempt to introduce it.

Australians, as a whole, according to the government cannot make choices for themselves, cannot think for themselves, and so to add yet another level of “assistance” into our lives for “better living” (don’t even get me fucking started on the net filter) they are going to put a bill through parliament to introduce some awesome heavy taxes and new restrictions on our… “indulgences”.

THE price of alcohol and cigarettes would rise and glitzy marketing campaigns pitched at teenagers would be curbed under a radical blueprint to make Australians healthier and leaner. Damaging levels of salt, sugar and fats in everyday foods would be cut as part of a “health compact” to tackle an obesity epidemic that costs $58 billion a year.

Now, you know, I am a big fan of the education principle. Stop treating people like they’re stupid and maybe they’ll take the step to think for themselves. Education from a basic level begins at home, not from an imposed restriction from the government.

If you read my earlier rant directed towards the government, you’ll take particular note that i enjoy the drink. I work damn hard for the money I earn and I have a right to spend it how and where I want. What I don’t appreciate though is the fact that I’m getting taxed to death, having to pay taxes on everything, and then finding out that i’m going to have to fork out even more cash.

How about, stop hiking prices on the “unhealthier” foods and beverages and create subsidy schemes to… oh i don’t know, lower the price of the healthier foods?

Again, its a case of WHY. why to people go for the processed shit? because its CONVENIENT. just shove it in the microwave and BAM. done.

The further price hikes on the grog isn’t what pisses me off however, its the imposing new regulations they’re going to put on the supposedly “popular foods”.

Now, think about that for a minute. There are many popular foods that are high in salt, sugar or fat contents, but very importantly, they are had in that wonderful term called MODERATION.

An institution in these lands. I think you all know what I’m talking about. Now Australians as a whole, are generally a pretty apathetic country.

But I warn you Feddies now, you touch our fucking Vegimite and there will be flags burnt in the streets.